Apparatus for manufacturing oil-gas



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

B. 0. SMITH.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING OIL GAS. No. 314,484. Patented Mar. 24, 1885.4

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B; 0. SMITH] APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING OIL GAS. No. 314,484. A Patented Mar; 24, 1885.

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B. G. SMITH.

APPARATUSFOR MANUFACTURING OIL" GAS. N0. 314,484.

Patented Mar. 24, 1885,.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING OIL GAS.

No. 314,484. Patented Mar. 24, 18815.

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BENJAMIN 0. SMITH, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING OIL-GAS.

:JPECEFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 314,484, dated March 24, 1885.

Application filed May 3!, 18%}, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, BENJAMIN 0. SMITH, of Salem, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, having invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for ManufacturingOilGas, ofwhich the following,tak en in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of gas fromkerosene-oil; and it consists in the devices and combinations of devices hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the generator. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the generator combined with an ordinary house-stove, the oil-receptacle, and the catch-basin, and the pipes connecting said generator with the basin and receptacle. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of the gasometer, the air-compressor,andtheir connecting-pipes. Fig. 4 is a general view of all the mechanism shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and illustrates the use of such parts in combination.

The generator shown in Fig. l is composed of a metallic pipe having the coiled portion A and the U-shaped portion B. Said coiled portion A connects at its inner end with the supply-pipe 0, leading from the oil-receptacle D, and terminates at its opposite end in the U shaped portion B. The opposite end ofsaid U-shaped portion B connects with pipe E, which pipe E, has a branch, F, leading downward to the catchbasin G, and a-branch, H, leading upward and terminating at a distance in the gasometer. Said gasometer is composed of the vertical cylinder K, having its bottom open and inserted in the tank L, said tank L being filled with water, and the bottom edges of the cylinder K being sunk below the waterline at all times. Leading from the gasometer is a pipe, N, through which the gas may be distributed to the burners and consumed in the usual way.

I shall now proceed to describe the process of making gas according to my method, and

while doing so shall incidentally explain the parts of the mechanism not already described.

The operator, having decided to generate gas,must in the first place heat the generator to a heat sufficient to vaporize the oil while passing through the coil A. For this purpose the generatoris placed in the fire-box of an ordinary stove or other suitable housing, and a fire kindled around the same with wood, coals, or any suitable material, as represented in Fig. 2; but, instead of the fire kindled as described, I prefer to use burning gas,.and to this end I extend the gas-distributing pipeN or abranch thereof to a point in convenient proximity to the generator, and connect there with an arm, 2, by means ofa suitablejoint, 3. In the end of said arm isa burner composed of apiece of perforated pipe, 4, and when it is desired to heat the generator I insert the burner 4 into the center of coil A and light the gas, the burner being allowed to extend the whole length of the coil, and,being perforated its en ti re length, will emit an amountofgas sufficient, when burned, to rapidly heat and hold the generator in asufficiently-heated state. \Vhen not in use, the burner may be withdrawn from the coil and the arm 2 turned up out of the way. NVhen the generator has become sufficiently heated, the oil is introduced into the coil A through a pipe, 0, leading from the oil-receptacle D, and this oil is vaporized while passing through the heated coil A, and is further heated and transformed into a fixed gas while passing through the U shaped portion l3, and to better facilitate this operation the U shaped portion is made of pipe much larger in diameter than is used to form the coil'A, this being done to allow the gas to more readily expand and receive the action and effect of the heat. The gas formed passes out of the generator and along the pipe H into the gasometer, and if any oil gets through the generator without vaporizing it will drop down into the catchbasin G, from which it may be drawn through faucet 5 and returned to the oil-receptacle D. This will happen more frequently when the oil is introduced into the generator before itis sufficiently heated, as in such cases the oil passes through the generator and into the catch basin, and may be returned again to the receptacle D to be put through a second time when the generator has become properly heated. This arrangement prevents wasting oil whenever it is desired to test the generator.

It will be observed that the supply-pipe O is constructed with a bend at 6. This is done to form a trap to retain the oil, and thereby prevent the gas from backing up this pipe and escaping through the oil-receptacle D. The said pipe 0 is provided with stop-cocks f f. These serve to regulate the introduction of oil into the generator, and also, in case of accident, enable the'operator to wholly and readily cutoff the source ofsupply. The oil passes first into the coil A, and is vaporized whilev passing through the same into the U-shaped portion B. It is then further heated and expanded and made into a fixed gas while passing through the U-shaped portion B.

I am not to be understood as saying that the U-shaped portion B is necessary in order to make the gas-that is, in order to fix it; but I do wish to be understood to say that I much prefer to make the gas in this way, as I find the quality of the gas is greatly improved by being put through this section of the generator. The gas, havingpassed through the generator, goes up the pipe H and empties into the gasometer. The pipe H, where it enters the gasometer, is filled with fine perforations, and the whole end of the pipe is kept under water, allowing the water in the gasometer to back up into the pipe, thereby filling the pipe H to a line even with the waterin the gasometer, and the gas, in order to get into the gasometer, must pass through the water in the pipe and enter the water in the gasometer through the fine perforations in the end of the pipe. By this means-.that is, the fine perforations in the end of pipe H-the gas is distributed and forced through the water in the gasometer in a condition to be acted upon and thoroughly washed and purified by the water through which it passes upward into the chamher of the gasometer. Having thus generated and secured the gas in the gasometer, I further reduce and clarify the gas by'introducing atmospheric air into the gasometer. To this end I connect the pipe H with an ordinary air-pump, l0, and having closed the pipe in one direction by means of the stop-cock 12, the air'may be pumped through the pipe in the opposite direction into the chamber of the gasometer, and there allowed to mingle with the gas. The amount of air to be introduced into the gasometer may be determined by the burniug of the gasthat is to say, an amount of air should be introduced to enable the gas to be burned without any smoke or smell, and to insure the best results the air had better be introduced some hours before it is intended to burn the gas. The gas thus prepared is taken from the gasometer through the pipe N, from which it is distributed in the usual manner to the burners, and from this pipe also gas may be taken to heat. the generator for the purpose of making gas, as before described. I prefer to heat the generator in this way, as it is much neater and simpler than other methods of heating, though I believe the quality of the gas obtained is practically non dependent upon the manner of heating the generator, and for purposes of economy it may be desirable to place the generator into the fire-box of a stove orother heating device, as in this way the gas may be generated andstored while the stove is being utilized for other purposes. It will be evident, of course, that the impurities taken from the gas by the process of washing, as described, are retained in the water, at least in part, and to secure a fresh supply of water I provide an exhaust-pipe, 20,which is arranged to enter the outer tank, L, on a line with the surface of the water, and the water passing off through this pipe carries away many, if not all, of the impurities retained and held in solution by the water. The water is of course being constantly supplied to the tank through the source of supply, and thus the water is kept in condition to act most favorably upon the gas that passes through the same.

Having thus described my invention and the best manner known to me of using the same, I claim and by Letters Patent desire to secure- 1. An apparatus for manufacturing gas, consisting of an oil-supply tank and pipe leading to a vaporizer, A, a fixing-chamber connected to said vaporizer, a pipe, H, leading from said fixing-chamber to a gasometer, the end of said pipe in the gasometer being perforated below the level. of the water, and an air-pump connected to said pipe H, substantially as described, and forthe purpose set forth. f v

2. In the manufacture of gas, an apparatus consisting of an oil-supply tank, D, pipe-connections, and a generator, the generator consisting of a pipe forming a vaporizer coiled Within a heating-chamber, a U-shaped section of larger pipe forming a fixing-chamber surrounding the said vaporizer, and pipeconnections to the gasometer, substantially as described.

3. In the manufacture of gas, an apparatus consisting of an oil-supply tank, pipe-connections to the generator of substantially the form described, pipe-connections from said generator to the gasometer, and a pipe, N, leading from said gaiometer to the heating-chamber of the generator, and a perforated pipe, 4, extending from said pipe N to the interior of the heating-chamber through the space formed by the coils of the vaporizer, whereby the gas from the gasorneter is used as a fuser, and great heat obtained by the direct action of the flame upon the coils of the said vaporizer.

BENJAMIN 0. SMITH.

WVitnesses:

HENRY WV. PUTNAM, O. B. TUTTLE. 

